OK, so I just arrived at Ms. Immer's first wine-tasting test in Great Wine Made Simple. On her list of suggested wines to use, she fails to mention any French Chardonnay. Same deal with Cabernet Sauvignon. Do you all think it's OK to substitute any old white Burgundy and red Bordeaux (provided the Bordeaux is Cab-based)?

Come to think of it, JoeyZ, if you can get your hands on Chateau Routas Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz (Provence) and Louis Jadot Grand Ardeche Chardonnay (Ardeche), you will have two quite-like California wines.

But like IK alluded, such wines are likely difficult to locate in France since they seem to be for the American market.

Well, today we got ahold of a Routas Cabernet Sauvignon ('01 Cabernet Sauvignon That Wild Boars Prefer [in Engligh] $8.99 at The Clown in Belfast). God awful plonk. Particularly irksome, since we had a nice '00 Bordeaux at the same price a few days ago, and according to Google, The Clown was supposed to have it. They are trying to find it for me now, and they we really have to try after this one.